What is Geno?
Geno, formerly known as Genomatica, is a pioneering biotechnology company leveraging synthetic biology to revolutionize the production of everyday products and materials. By utilizing plants and waste streams instead of fossil fuels or unsustainable sources like palm oil, Geno develops cleaner, higher-performance ingredients for a range of applications. The company has already successfully commercialized products for plastics, spandex, and personal care items, and is actively expanding its portfolio to include materials for nylon, household cleaners, and more. This focus on sustainable manufacturing positions Geno at the forefront of the clean technology sector, addressing critical environmental concerns through advanced biological engineering.
How much funding has Geno raised?
Geno has raised a total of $333.1M across 7 funding rounds:
Series A
$4M
Series B
$20M
Series C
$15M
Unspecified
$45M
Unspecified
$41.1M
Unspecified
$90M
Unspecified
$118M
Series A (2002): $4M, investors not publicly disclosed
Series B (2007): $20M led by Mohr Davidow Ventures and Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ)
Series C (2010): $15M supported by Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Mohr Davidow Ventures, TPG Biotechnology Partners, and Alloy Ventures
Unspecified (2011): $45M, investors not publicly disclosed
Unspecified (2012): $41.1M, investors not publicly disclosed
Unspecified (2018): $90M with participation from Viking Global Investors, Casdin Capital, and Ginkgo Bioworks
Unspecified (2021): $118M led by Novo Holdings
Key Investors in Geno
Novo Holdings
Novo Holdings is a Danish private limited liability company wholly owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, established in 1999 and headquartered in Hellerup, Denmark. It plays a crucial role in supporting the life sciences sector.
Viking Global Investors
Viking Global Investors is a global investment firm specializing in research-intensive, long-term focused investments using fundamental analysis to select public and private equity interests across industries and geographies. Viking is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, with offices in New York, Hong Kong, London, and San Francisco.
Ginkgo Bioworks
Ginkgo Bioworks is a biotechnology company developing a horizontal platform for cell programming that is used to program cells on behalf of their customers. The company was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.
What's next for Geno?
With a significant capital base and a clear strategic direction, Geno is poised for accelerated expansion and further commercialization of its sustainable ingredient technologies. The recent major strategic investment signals a strong endorsement of the company's business model and its potential to disrupt traditional manufacturing processes across multiple industries. Future endeavors will likely focus on scaling production capabilities, forging new partnerships, and broadening the application of its synthetic biology platform to address a wider array of consumer and industrial goods, thereby solidifying its leadership in the bio-based materials market.
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